Beachtide
by Andrea Falls
Summary: Jubilee finds love in a unlikely place, much to everyone else's disapproval.
1. Bittersweet

Okay, here's the whole deal; I own nothing. Not a damn thing. None of these X men are mine, and I have no money. Go see Marvel.com for more info.  
  
  
Jubilee lay on the wet sand, sighing contently. She was practically dancing on Air. She smiled as waves crashed over her, looking up into the dark sky.  
"Are you happy, Jubilee?"  
"Are you kidding?" She laughed, jumping to her feet. "It's midnight, I'm naked on the beach, and I'll never get all the sand out of my hair. I'm finally 18 years old," She twirled around, her hands out, producing celebration pafs into the air. "And I've never been happier in my life!"  
She wailed, screaming laughter as she was lifted off the ground and rushed into the ocean, her arms securely around strong shoulders.  
  
  
"Jubilation." Jean stood in her doorway, arms crossed. "Where have you been?"  
"Out." She said plainly, scrubbing her hair with a towel.  
"With?"  
"A friend."  
Jean stared at her for a moment.  
"You're not going back out with him." She said finally. "You've been to-"  
"Get out of my head, Ms Grey." Jubilee glared at her. "And keep out of my business."  
"Jubilee, your actions are putting you in danger. He can't be trusted."  
"Stop it." Jubilee put a palm out to her. "You don't know anything about him. My actions are making me happy." She tossed a shirt into her duffel bag, pulling the draw strings tight. "Something I can't find here anymore."  
"Jubilation, please, reconsider this." Jean put a hand on her wrist. "You have to know that this will turn out badly."  
"I'm tired of you snooping around my head, Ms Grey. The professor too. If I get ONE more person asking me what I'm doing, or where I *think* I'm going, I'm going to have a breakdown." She hitched her pack, pulling her wrist away.  
"We're only concerned for-"  
"Shove your concern up your ass." Jubilee pushed past her. "I don't want it."  
"We care about you, Jubilee."  
"Not like he cares."  
Jean watched her leave, stealing a dirty look over her shoulder.  
~*~*~  
Jubilee pursed her lips. It hurt to leave, but Jean Grey wasn't the reason. Her reasons were rushing up behind her as her foot hit the foyer floor.  
"Jube!" Rogue was on the verge of tears. "Why are you doin' this?"  
"I love him, Rogue. And he loves me. Out of all of them, I figured you'd understand this." She took one of her shaking gloved hands.  
"I do, Jubilee." She smiled a bittersweet smile. "I do, really, but why leave? We need you. *I* need you."  
"My big reason is coming up behind you."  
Jubilee looked into Wolverine's face as he gently pulled Rogue aside, her heart dropping.  
"I won't let you." He said. "I can't."  
"Aw, Wolvie." She smiled weakly. "It's not up to you."  
"Jubilee-"  
"Shut up, Logan." She smirked in playful, sorrowful way. "Responsible doesn't suit you." She hugged him tightly. "I love you, Wolvie. Take care of Rogue."  
He stood in shock as she stepped away from him, bolting for the door. Rogue put a hand on his chest as he started after her.  
"Let me." She said softly, walking out after her.  
~*~*~  
"Don't try to stop me." Jubilee stood outside a tan jeep, her dark mustard bag inside. "Please, just don't."  
"I wouldn't." Rogue nodded. "I just want to say goodbye. I'll miss you, Jubilee." She hugged her carefully.  
"Oh, don't say goodbye, chica. It's too much like forever." She laughed somberly, fighting tears. She pulled her over to the driver's side of the car as the hug ended. "I want you to know him."  
"Jubilee..."  
"This is Victor." She took his hand as he held it out to her.  
Rogue felt Logan's feelings boiling inside her chest. On impulse, she pulled her glove off and touched her finger to his cheek.  
"Rogue!" Jubilee stepped between them as he pulled away. "What are you doing?!"  
She swallowed hard, tucking away Victor Creed's memories and feelings.  
"I'm sorry. I can control it better now." She tapped Jubilee's nose with a bare finger, sending a mild vacuum feeling over her skin. "Not for long, but for long enough." She smiled. "How do you think I don't kill Logan every time I kiss him?"  
"Xavier has really helped you then. And he can still help you." Jubilee smiled lightly. "I wish you the best then, girl. Don't have TOO much fun-I want him in one piece when I come back for you guys."  
Rogue smiled as Jubilee climbed into the car. Victor sped off before Logan could storm out to confront him.  
"Why are we letting her leave?" Logan sounded wounded. "Why didn't I stop her."  
"You couldn't have." Rogue shook her head. "She loves him Logan...and he loves her."  
"How do you know?" He asked, sliding an arm around her. He dropped a gentle kiss on the top of her head.  
"I feel it." 


	2. Wherever It Takes Us

"How'd it go?" Victor stole glances at her when they were finally on the road.  
"Well...I don't know, really." Jubilee shook her head, feeling the wind sift over her face. "Rogue isn't thrilled, but she gets it. Jean downright forbade me to go." She reached over, sliding her fingers through his hair. "Are you sure about this?"  
"Sure as I have been about anything." He looked over, reaching up his shoulder and taking her hand. "Where to?"  
"Hm." Jubilee toyed with his fingers. "I don't know. Do you know where this road will take us?"  
"Somewhere together." He shrugged.  
"Alright." Jubilee beamed, wriggling closer to him in her seat. "Let's get away from it all, eh Vic?"  
"Let's go, Precious."  
  
~*~*~  
"How long had this been going on?" Jean Grey stood in the front of the classroom, eyeing the young mutants. "Someone has GOT to know."  
"Jean, honey, I don't think this was something that could have been stopped, no matter who did or didn't know." Scott put a hand on her back. "This was her decision."  
"Scott, let me to my own motions to fix this, please." She patted his cheek.  
"Scooter's right, Jeannie. Jubilee did this on her terms." Wolverine grunted from the back of the room. He sat on a table, Rogue in his lap. "We couldn't have stopped her."  
"Logan, you do not know how her mind works-for all we know, she's already in more danger then we could imagine."  
"Excuse me, but I know how her mind works. Victor's too." Rogue spoke carefully.  
"Rogue, No matter what Jubilation may have told you..." She closed her mouth as Rogue peeled off her glove and waved at her. Logan smiled, seizing the opportunity to kiss her bare fingers.   
"No public displays of affection, please." Jean said after a few moments of silence. She glared at each of the students, eager to fix the problem. "Someone has got to know what's been going on between Jubilation and-"   
"She's been seeing him for a month now." Kitty blurted out, burying her face in her hands.  
"Kitty!" Rogue chided her, scowling.  
"I'm sorry, it's just..."  
"I know, I know." Rogue climbed off the table, taking Logan's hand and pulling him with her. She walked out of the room, the rest following suit.  
"Now, Katherine." Jean sat down across from her as the room cleared out. "Tell me what you feel comfortable with."  
~*~*~  
Logan shut the door behind them as Rogue fell back on her bed.   
"You know, Kitty was going to do that no matter what." He said, leaning against the wall.  
"I know-but Jubilee is just so close still." Rogue sighed. "I wish she could have held out a bit."  
"Well, that's Pryde." Logan sat down next to her. "I know she told you what happened-you just never told me."  
"And for good reason." Rogue sat up. "You'd have gone for his throat. And then Jubilee would have gone for yours." She patted his chest playfully, smiling. "They met about 2 months ago, in Asia. When-"  
"When she went in with Scooter to infiltrate."  
"That's all I know." Rogue Nodded. "They've been back in forth ever since. He took her out for her birthday-dinner, a midnight dip in the ocean; the works."  
"How sweet." Logan deadpanned. He was still uncomfortable with the thought of Jubilee alone with Sabretooth.  
"I think she slept with him that night." Rogue thought aloud.  
"Oh, Rogue. Don't do that. I don't wanna think about that." Logan rubbed his temples. "Beside the point-Jubilee's smarter then tha-"  
"They were naked on the beach, Logan. Not to mention the serene intimacy that's pretty much taken over both of-"  
"Really, stop."  
"Sorry-I've been getting filtered pictures." Rogues stifled a giggle at his squeamish reaction. "I think It's time for bed."  
"I agree, darlin." He nodded. "Good night."  
"Night." She kissed him gently, a ripple going through her body. She smiled contently, watching him leave. As the door shut behind him, she darted to change into her pajamas. 


	3. Sweet Star Rising

"Oooh, Look Vic!" Jubilee pointed into the sky. "A shooting star."  
"What do you wish for?" He asked.  
"I have no need for wishes." She giggled. "I have everything I'll ever need; right here, right now."  
Victor gave her a squeeze. They sat in the backseat of his jeep, staring up at the stars on the side of an out of the way dirt road. He leaned against the side, his legs stretched across the seat and Jubilee's head on his chest.  
"And what about you? Quick, before it's gone." Jubilee rested her hands on his wrists.  
"Who said I needed *anything*?" He asked.  
Jubilee smiled, sitting up. "Can we sleep out here? Under the Stars?" She asked, her eyes hopeful.  
"Whatever your heart desires." He nodded.  
"Well, what my heart desires has NOTHING to do with where we sleep tonight." she giggled, snuggling close to him. "I want more nights like my birthday. I want my happily ever after."  
"And I'm going to try my best to give it to you." He said softly, kissing her forehead.  
"Promise, Vic?" she asked in a small, sleepy voice.  
"I promise it to you, Precious."  
  
~*~*~  
Rogue tossed in her bed, bombarded but barely disturbed by her dreams. Jubilee's memories and feelings flooded her, just as she's expected them to.  
Jubilee was curled against a wall, doubled over and wailing in pain, calling out for help. Sabretooth approached the wounded sound carefully, watching all around him for a sneak attack.  
"Please! Just Leave me Alone! Don't Hurt me!" She moaned, looking up at him with marred eyes, tears surging over her cheeks. "I'm only 17, I don't want to die!"  
"Are you alone?" Victor asked, examining her.  
"Please, don't hurt me." She fell forward, crashing to her knees and pushing at the ground with the hand that didn't hold her stomach. "Please." She moaned softly, finally falling to the dirt, unconscious.  
He walked towards her slowly, still on alert. He scooped her up off the ground, bounding through the dark night.  
  
Then Jubilee stood outside an apartment door, glancing back at Scott.  
"Are you sure this is it?" She asked.  
"This is it. Jubilee, are you positive about this?" He looked from her to the door.  
"He could've left me out there, but he didn't. I would have died if he had. I want to thank him for risking himself and taking me back to the blackbird." She nodded. She put a hand up as Scott began to speak. "And DON'T say that this is naive, foolish, or childish. I'm nearly 18, and I can make this decision on my own."  
"Alright Jubilee. But I'm coming in with-"  
"Like hell. Wait out here. I'll be out in a few." She rolled her eyes. "God, you'd think I was still 14..." she muttered, knocking.  
  
The memory went dark, and snippets of picture and sound burst through dark recesses of silence. Remote memories of her finding him alone in the mostly empty apartment, looking bitter and closed off, a gun on a nearby unsteady table. Familiar memories of Jubilee sneaking through a window and jumping down into Victor Creed's arms, talking to him in the middle of the night, being held and kissed in the rain. Jubilee darting into the bathroom as people peeked into her room after she'd snuck back in, blowing blotched kisses out of an open window, dreaming of him.  
Then one picture became clear and vivid, soaked in distant emotions. The beach glittered in the moonlight, the waves reflecting the stars.  
"Vic, what are you doing?" Jubilee stumbled barefoot across the grass, holding tight to Victor. She wore a pair of shorts and a tank top, her hair held down by a red blindfold that was wrapped around her head. Her yellow hoodie lay strewn in Victor's car.  
"You can't walk?" He asked.  
"I can't see anything!" She giggled. "What's going on?"  
"You'll love it." he laughed, scooping her into his arms. "Happy Birthday." He said softly, moving down to the water's edge.  
"Victor!"  
"Trust me." He whispered, holding her close as he lowered her onto the sand.  
Jubilee's heart swelled as she wrapped her arms around him. She gasped happily as the cold water washed over her feet.  
"Oh, Vic!" She laughed, tearing off the blindfold. She danced away from him, kicking through the water. "Oh god, this is fantastic!" She reached out to him as the waves crashed up her legs and around her waist.  
Victor walked out into the waves toward her, lifting her up and turning her in a circle with him. He lowered her against him, looking into her eyes.  
Somewhere far off, Rogue felt the romance and passion radiating off the memory.  
Jubilee wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her forehead against his. She ran her hands through his hair, hardly breaking her gaze.  
"I love you, Jubilee." He whispered.  
Jubilee Kissed him gently as the waves soaked them.  
"I love you too, Victor." She murmured, brushing her hand over his cheek.  
Victor twisted as a particularly strong wave knocked him off his feet, falling into the sand with Jubilee in his arms.  
"Are you okay?" He asked, laughing. Jubilee shoved her dripping hair over her shoulder.  
"Perfect." She smiled, leaning in and kissing him.  
The picture flickered and flashed, snippets of emotion and sight breaking into her sleep.   
Jubilee smiled blissfully as the moonlight reflected off their wet bodies. Rogue could feel the rapture that shimmered off the feeling of his hands on her body, and the joy that had engulfed her in the dark on the sand. They screamed laughter and desire and love.  
Jubilee lay on the wet sand, sighing contently. She smiled as waves crashed over her, looking up into the dark sky.  
"Are you happy, Jubilee?" Victor propped himself up on an elbow, laying next to her. He was covered in sand, his once blue jeans now the same tan colour as his jeep.  
"Are you kidding?" She laughed, jumping to her feet. "It's midnight, I'm naked on the beach, and I'll never get all the sand out of my hair. I'm finally 18 years old," She twirled around, her hands out, producing celebration pafs into the air. "And I've never been happier in my life!"  
She shrieked laughter as he jumped up after her, lifting her into his arms and running her into the crashing waves. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as the water engulfed them. She clung to him as they broke the surface of the wave, feeling kisses drop on her skin. They twisted through the water, finally settling where the waves would wash over their legs.  
"I love you. I never want this to end." She breathed airy sighs.  
"Leave with me, then." He said softly. "Let me take you away."  
"What, Sir Calgon? You plan to carry me off into the sunset?" She asked playfully.  
"Something like that, Precious." He laughed, kissing her lovingly. "Are you ready to get back home?"  
"I'm ready to go wherever you're going, Victor." She accepted his hand as he rose, being gently pulled up.  
"Does that mean you're going with me?" He asked, watching her scramble over the beach to pull on her shorts and tank top, following her.  
"Of course." She smiled. She slid an arm around his waist as they walked back up to the jeep.  
Rogue bolted up in her bed, overwhelmed by coinciding emotions from both Victor and Jubilee. The unbounded, pure devotion that flooded from Victor left her in awe.  
"I feel like I just watched 'Someone like you' 20 times in a row." She thought aloud, looking around in the dark. She was alone in the room she usually shared with Jubilee and Kitty, and the silence was too dark, a heartbreaking contrast to the tenderness she'd just awoken from. She clammered of out bed, yanking her long gloves on and sneaking down the hallway and into Logan's room. 


	4. You've Saved me

AW! you like me, you really like me! I feel so wonderful. Thank you, thank you everyone. As for the question posed by Karen-yeah, the whole Logan/Rogue is really movieverse(Blame my friend-She got me into the fan fic writing of X Men in the first place), but then Jubilee/Victor is really comic verse anyway...But yer right, L/R is pretty nice, as long as it takes to admit to that.  
THANK YOU.  
  
  
Jubilee watched him sleep, smiling elatedly. What she felt was like nothing she'd ever felt-stronger then hate and anger, more overpowering then hope and despair combined. She was euphoric.  
She thought back to finding him in the apartment, staring at the gun. She couldn't read him the way that someone like Logan could have, but he still read like a half finished picture book- Lonely and tired; broken by the animal inside that he was trying to tame. He'd barely looked up when she'd pushed the unlocked door open, ignoring the deep throated snarls for her to go away. He'd given a weak growl when she'd crouched in front of him, and little resistance when she'd taken his face in her hands. She'd never felt the urge to use his name before she'd been in that room with him, trying to make him look at her.  
She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. His natural smell was amazing, almost soothing.  
"I love you, Victor Creed." She whispered. She sunk back into his arms, falling asleep quickly.  
~*~*~  
Victor slowly opened his eyes, looking down at her. The moon's gentle radiance off her skin made her glow. Her heartbeat was steady and calm, that of one in a deep sleep. He gently shifted her, laying her on the seat and climbing into the front. He looked back at her as she murmured in her sleep, curling on the soft leather.  
He sunk into the front passenger seat, bracing his boots against the dash and running hand through his long hair.  
"You saved my life." He said aloud, barely above a whisper. No one had ever seen the sides of him that Jubilee Inspired. "Beloved little girl-you deserve better."  
Victor's thoughts churned inside him. He didn't feel remorse for anything he'd done; not for the people he'd killed, not for the children he'd seen cry over bodies. He'd slaughtered without conviction, and without heart. He'd murdered, just for the bloodlust, and suddenly, a tiny 17 year old girl had broken his rage with a single cry, washing a wave of conflict and lamentation over him. She had made him feel low for the animal that took him over for the first time in his life.  
She'd dug him out of a dark hole and saved him from a shallow grave. He'd felt whatever hard and cold thing that had encased his heart break away and release him. Knowing she was there; by sight, by scent, by touch, by taste, made him feel more then killing ever had.  
"You saved me, Precious angel. In more ways then you could realize-you saved me."  
He lay his head against the seat, looking up into the sky, his hair whipping around him in the warm breeze. 


	5. These Feelings

"Rogue, what's wrong?" Logan looked at her groggily, switching on his dim light.  
"I saw it Logan,-Christ, I *felt* it." She murmured, entranced. She crawled onto his bed, looking into his eyes. "It was stronger then almost anything I've ever felt-No fear, no pain...Logan, there isn't a thing on earth that could touch it."  
"Whoa, whoa, Darlin'," He sat up, raking his hair out of his face. "What are you talkin' about? You felt what?"  
"Their Love, Logan." She said, as if it were the most simple thing on earth. "Their love for each other is so strong. Nothing could touch either of them." She looked into his bewildered face, breaking her awe. "Jube and Victor. It's amazing. It's pure." Her eyes were welling up. "We tried to stop it. We were wrong."  
"Whoooa." Logan pulled her close. "Why are you so upset if it's so wonderful?"  
"It's like us." She whispered. "Stopping her would have been like forcing us apart." Rogue pressed her face into his chest, her skin against the material of his shirt.  
Logan searched for words to calm her down. As usual, silence tended to suit. So he hugged her gently and kissed her hair, letting the quiet smooth the emotions into his comprehension.  
~*~*~  
Rogue had never been more lost in conflicting emotions in her life. She slowly realized that she was standing in a dark, unhappy memory. Guilt, regret and sorrow wrapped her in confusion.  
"Please."  
She looked up, finding a wall in front of her. Jubilee lay in the dirt, unmoving. Victor stood in front of her, watching her carefully. Rogue came to the understanding that the confusion that she felt was coming directly from him. She saw his stance break, and felt the low rage underneath breaking and fading. She saw a shocked kind of remorse pass over his black eyes as he walked toward her prone form.  
Her surroundings cut to black, low far off wails and cries fading out, whispers of thoughts and shadows of dreams. She closed her eyes, burying her face in her hands. Fear was taking her over.  
"What are you gunna do with that, Vicky?" A voice asked in the darkness. "You can't kill yourself with it."  
Rogue eased her shaking hands away from her eyes. She stood in front of the door to a dismal, empty apartment. Sabretooth sat in a chair, staring at a gun perched on a dangerously unsteady table. The sound fizzled out, and she was left with his thoughts.  
'Here's what I'm gunna do with it.' He thought darkly. 'Pump some lead into my brain-just a few shots; feel some pain. Then I'll stumble to the quiet rock on the deep side of the beach, and empty the chamber into my miserable skull. Once I've collapsed, the sea will do her job and finish off my brain-suffocate it; let my body float away, Lifeless...I hope.'  
Rogue put her hands over her mouth, tears spilling over her eyelids; partly in her own shock, partly of the strained tears that Victor wouldn't let himself cry.  
She let out a startled cry as the world flashed white in her eyes, and a short vacuum absorbed her body. She crumpled to the floor, her tears spattering on the dirty ground. She looked up, seeing Jubilee knock the table away, sending the gun spinning on the floor.  
'Damnit.' He thought helplessly. 'This girl-this guilt inducing, tiny girl."  
Jubilee took his face in her hands. The fear faded from Rogue, a confused feeling expanding in it's place.  
'This tiny, Precious little girl...DAMNIT.'  
Rogue realized with a jolt that the horrible feeling had been jubilee passing *through* her.  
"I've got to get out of here." She whispered, trying to push herself up. She was half to her feet when the visions changed again. She shut her eyes, doubling over to ease the dizzy sensation the last change had left her with. She put her hand out, finding Victor's Jeep to balance on. She kneeled on the beach.  
All she could feel was what He felt-none of her own feelings could be distinguished. She felt passion and devotion, pure joy.  
'Precious gift, never leave.'  
Rogue gasped at the thoughts-they were almost too romantic, too faithful, to be coming from Victor Creed.  
'I'd be dead without you.'  
Rogue reveled in the human desire that came off his thoughts. His heart was literally swelling in rapture when he touched her.  
"I've never seen anyone watch someone with eyes so..attached." She whispered.  
'If you watched, you see me...'  
She could hear Logan, in the distance over the waves.  
'I must be talking in my sleep.' she thought, pursing her lips. She sat back, waiting to wake. 


	6. Raging Reunions

Yet another one; I didn't expect people to react so well. Infact, I expected a lot more flames; Jubilee and Victor aren't exactly, uh....yeah. But I love Jubilee with anyone they don't usually pair her with, so it all works out well. Now, Enjoy;  
  
  
  
Rogue tossed in her sleep for the first time in a month. After a while of Jubilee and Victor's memories and emotions playing out in real 3D in her head, she had made temporary residence in Logan's room; the heartache of being alone in the dark when she woke up had gotten to be too much since Kitty had moved in with Bobby; weary and hiding from Jean's never-ending questioning. After they'd stopped, she moved back into her room; even against Logan's requests.  
But this night was much different then any of the others-these were new, full of anger and Rage. Visions flashed red from Sabretooth. She saw a man running, being followed; hunted. She saw Jubilee in the back of Victor's Jeep, curled into a fetal position and sobbing. Rogue herself was lost-confused and alarmed, but her own feelings were barely felt from under the fury that seemed to bleed from Victor, fueled by Jubilee's pain; a searing pain that ripped her open from the bottom of her feet to the top of her head. Rogue knew, because Rogue felt it.  
She was almost thrown out of the hallucination, trying to catch her breath as she stumbled out of her bed and into the dark hallway, clumsily sliding her gloves on.  
~*~*~  
Jubilee stared up at the door, knocking timidly. She ran her hand through her recently cut hair, now a choppy black bob. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.  
"Relax." Victor slid a hand down her back. "This shouldn't be bad."  
"I know," She sighed. "It's just, I left, you know? I just took off. I don't think they understand it."  
Kitty peeked out the door, almost unsure of her eyes.  
"Jubilee?" She asked, pulling the door open. She winced at the sight of Victor, taking a step back.  
"Yeah, Kitty. I figured I'd stop back in for a visit." She grinned, trying to diffuse the situation that had rapid potential for awkwardness. "Is everyone home?"  
"PROFESSOR!" Kitty bounded into the school, laughing.  
"She always was too excitable." Jubilee muttered, ushering Victor in and closing the door behind them. The first thing she heard outside of the click of the door was two distinct snarls.  
Logan stood at the foot of the stairs, fists balled and teeth bared. The animal nature that he usually fought to control was invading him, and Victor matched his growls, watching him closely.  
"Um, excuse me boys, but your 'hey, watch me make an idiot of myself' slip is showing." Jubilee stepped in front of Victor, catching his eyes. He backed off, glaring at Wolverine in the least threatening way he could manage.  
"Wow. How'd you manage to make big bad Sabretooth a housecat?" Logan asked, smirking as he took a step back, sitting on the stairs.  
"Wolverine-" Victor took a step toward him, only to run into Jubilee as she stood firm in front of him.  
"Let's just say I had some Catnip in my pocket and leave it at that, okay?" She sighed, running her hands through her hair. "I just hate to see my two favourite Little boys duke it out over a smartass comment." She gave Logan a pointed look.  
"Alright, alright." Logan held up his hands in retreat. "I'm done."  
"Good. Now, where's Rogue?"  
"I'm here."  
Rogue descended the stairs, arms wrapped around herself, her cheeks red and her eyes sunken.  
"Honey, what's wrong?" Jubilee took a panicked half step towards the stairs, worried.  
"Nothing. I just had a bad dream." she said softly, walking to her. She gave her a careful, weak hug.  
"Are you sure?" Jubilee asked, gently rubbing her arms. Both Victor and Logan had fallen silent, their own tiff forgotten for the moment.  
"Yeah." Rogue nodded. "Jube, is everything alright?"  
"Peachier then Keen." She nodded. "Why?"  
"Then, nothing's.....happened?"  
"Rogue, what did you dream?"  
"Nothing." Rogue shook her head, taking Jubilee's hand. "Don't worry about it."  
Victor looked past them, to Logan. There was something that Rogue wasn't telling them, he could see it was well as Logan could. Something that scared her.  
~*~*~  
Jubilee cracked her neck, staring up at the ceiling.  
"Jubilee, why are you still awake?" Victor mumbled from the darkness.  
"Just thinkin'. Am I bothering you?" she asked, looking over in his general direction.  
Victor studied her in the blackness that she was blinded by. Her eyes were wide and distracted, gone in a far off daze.  
"Not in the least, Precious." He whispered. Jubilee turned her attention back to the ceiling, groping for his hand in the dark. He reached out and caught her, cradling her hand in his.  
"I'm sorry, Vic." She said softly. "You're not comfortable in the mansion, are you?"  
"Are you kidding? A bed with you is more comfortable then the back of my jeep any night."  
"You know what I mean."  
"Jubilee, I'm comfortable with you." He pulled her close. "Are you comfortable with me here?"  
"I'd be miserable without you. I'm just...Rogue. She's scaring me." Jubilee whispered, curling into his arms. "She won't tell me why she had her little interrogation this morning, and she starts shaking everytime I try to get it out of her. I hate to admit that I'm actually scared of her dream."  
"She's hiding something. Not something that she doesn't want you to know-it's something that scares her too much to tell you. To tell anyone. Your best chance is Wolverine."  
"I don't think she's going to tell him." Jubilee sighed, closing her eyes.  
"Why do you say that?"  
"I don't know. I just don't think she will."  
~*~*~  
Logan rubbed his temples, looking at her. Rogue sat on his bed, wringing her hands in front of her.  
"Rogue, please, just tell what it is." He said again. "Just tell me what the dream was."  
"I can't, Logan. I told you, I can't." she pressed her hands over her eyes, sallow and tired.  
"Why can't you?"  
'Because I don't *know* what it was that I dreamt!" She cried, standing up. "it was too mixed, too random. I can't sort it out." She looked at him, her entire body shaking. "God Logan, it actually *hurt* me. I felt this unbelievable, hot pain. It tore right through me."  
"Rogue, calm down," Logan stepped forward, hugging her close. "It was just a dre-"  
"I don't know that it was." She whimpered. "Jube was hurt, and she crying as if the tears were feeding off the pain that cut through every bone in her body. Vic-"  
"That thing." Logan let her go, striding toward the door. "I knew he was out for blood, from the moment-"  
"No!" Rogue lurched forward, falling to her knees. "He's not hurting her. It's not Victor." She spoke through tears, her fists closed in front of her. "It's someone else; a man. Victor's chasing him, hunting him." Her eyes were closed as Logan dropped next to her.  
"Rogue, can you see who it is?"  
"No. I don't...I can't...." Rogue could see it all again, and she could feel the pain coursing through her. "Victor can't see anything but Jubilee crying, because of this man. He's caught in the blood rage, and he's trying to kill him." She shook violently, wrapping her arms around herself and choking back sobs.  
"Ssssh, ssh." Logan pulled her into his arms. "Calm down, please."  
"Logan, I think it was a premonition." She whispered. "I think this is going to happen. But I don't know what's going to happen." 


	7. Fragments of Dreams and Pieces of Truths

DRAMA! Please review; you people are like my chocolate.  
  
  
Jubilee sat at the counter, bent over a cup of juice. She yawned, not overtired, but weary without her usual 11 hours. She'd left Victor in bed, padding through the mansion in her pajamas.  
She jumped as a pair of arms wrapped around her, and she felt a face pressed into her shirt. She looked down to see a pair of matte black gloved hands locked around her shoulders.  
"Um, Rogie, hunny; what's wrong?" She asked calmly, patting her hands.  
"I had a bad dream that you were in, hun, and it scared me. That's all." She said, letting her go and sliding onto the stool next to her. She had pushed the premonition ideas out of her head-it was impossible. She had been in a panic, scared and tired and overwrought; she'd decided that she was out of her mind.  
"You sure? Cause for one little dream, it sure stirred you up."  
"Yeah-I'd been having your and Victor's emotions in my head for a month. It's quite heartbreakingly beautiful." She smiled. "But it also makes this one reasonable."  
"So.. He's for real?" Jubilee asked after a moment, looking into the glass.  
"As real as you are." Rogue nodded, smiling. "It's really unbelievable. You-" Rogue stopped. She had been so caught in the romance of it that she'd almost forgotten that they were Victor's memories...his secrets to keep.  
"What?"  
"You two fit really well." She smiled. "I think it'll be a mood setter to have you around."  
"Well, get you're mood here and now-We're outta here once he's awake."  
"What?" Rogue gaped at her. "Are you kidding me? You just got here."  
"And we've overstayed our welcome, I'm sure."  
"No! With Hank dragging you off last night to the lab, I haven't gotten to talk to you. And Logan-"  
"Okay, okay." Jubilee sighed. "I'll try."  
"Thank you." Rogue calmed. "You don't know how much we've all missed you."  
"Can't be as much as I've missed you, chica." She smiled. "But, don't get all washy on me yet-I don't know it'll last much longer then tonight. We've got to be on our way."  
"Where are you in such a hurry to go?"  
Jubilee shrugged, smiling brightly.   
"We don't know."  
~*~*~  
Victor sat up slowly, accessing his surroundings. He was laying in the most comfortable bed he'd ever been in, with fluffy white comforters and pillows, and until recently he'd been sharing it with an angel. The sun shone in through a skylight off to his left, and Jubilee's sweet scent mingled in the room, cutting through dust and dirt. He raked his hair back, climbing out of bed and throwing on his clothes.  
"Oh, so you get dressed as I'm coming in?"  
He turned, pulling his shirt over his stomach.  
"Hey, Precious. Sorry, didn't know you preferred me-"  
"Before you even get dirty," She smiled, holding up a hand to him. "Stop, right there. I-"  
"You don't even want to hear how I was gunna end that?" he asked, stepping closer to her. He smiled mischievously, his hands behind his back.  
"Oh no. No you don't, Victor." She giggled, taking a step towards the door.  
"Do I?" He asked. He broke into a run as she shrieked, bolting around the bed, catching her easily. He scooped her up, tossing her onto the bed.  
"Vic!" She laughed, trying to scramble away as he climbed up after her.  
"What?" He asked innocently, propping himself up on his elbows. He settled on top of her, his chest against her hips. He trailed his claws gently along her sides.  
"Yeah, that's you alright-Sweet, virtuous lil Victor." Jubilee giggled.  
"What's going on?!"  
Rogue was tossed into the room, trying to hold back Logan as he burst in, claws out.  
"Logan!" Jubilee pushed herself off the bed, moments after Victor leapt over her, growling.  
"No, NO!" Rogue pushed at him. "Logan!" She cried out in vain. Finally, she beat her fists into his chest. "Logan, back off!"  
He looked from Rogue to Sabretooth, and back to Rogue, who glared at him violent eyes. He let his claws retract, taking a step back and glaring at him.  
"Look who's domestic now...." Victor smirked.  
"Vic!" Jubilee stepped in between them.  
"This from someone ready to blow his brains out over a little girl?" Logan asked, snorting. "I wouldn't take what you said with a speck of piss."  
"Logan." Jubilee turned on him, almost pained. "Shut up, will you?"  
"What I say?" Victor stepped toward him. "What about you, lover boy? Face it, runt, you've done the same thing. There was a time when you would've have let ANYTHING step between you and a chance at my hide."  
"OKAY, you know what?" Jubilee glared at the both of them. "I am entirely sick of the two of you. All you seem to do is snarl and spit and crack wise at each other. Are you EVER civil?" She asked. Her eyes softened to hurt as she crossed her arms and stared at the floor.  
"Jubilee, you know-"  
"Yeah, I know; but could the both you resist the urge to make the other grow a new throat...at least while I'm around to say something about it?" She asked softly, looking at either of them. She finally settled with looking at Rogue, speechless. She stepped over and sat on the edge of the bed.   
"Jube," Rogue stepped over to her. "hunny, are you-"  
"Please, get out." She whispered. She wrapped her arms around herself, doubling over.  
"Jubilee..." Victor took a nearly timid step to sit next to her.  
"Please." She said, sounding tired and weak.  
He looked at her gently, feeling his heart strain in his chest. He walked out, his eyes on the ground.   
Rogue watched him leave, feeling his heartache. She looked at Logan, who gaped at Jubilee, all but hurt.  
"Logan." She whispered, tugging on his arm. "Come on."  
"I.."  
"Come on." She led him out of the room, leaving Jubilee to her thoughts. 


	8. Mutate My Heart

I can't believe all this angst come from lil ol' me. Review, please.  
  
  
Jubilee lay in bed, staring into the dark. She pulled her knees to her chest, too many thoughts in her head to sort them all out and number them neatly to be set aside.  
'Blow his brains out over a little girl...' she thought. She couldn't figure out which was more heartbreaking; the fact that she had been the subject of Victor's breakdown, Or that he and Victor had talked about her and Rogue like they were problems; restrictions on their freedom...or that Logan had called her 'a little girl'. Was that as she was to him? Something to look after? She could feel tears lumping up in her throat.  
"Precious?"  
Jubilee turned her head to look in the doorway. Victor stood there, his black eyes shining in the dim light.  
"Are you upset?"  
"No, I'm friggin Mary Poppins over here." Her voice was thick from holding back tears. "What do you think?"  
"Can I come in?"  
"I think you should." She said, sitting up. She pulled her knees up again, a defense against herself, and watched him walk in, closing the door behind him.  
He sat down on the bed, his hands clasped in his lap, and glanced at her.  
"You told me that the Animal broke you down. Now...." She took a weary breath. "Was he telling the truth?" She asked softly. "Was I the reason you were going to try and kill yourself that night?"  
"Yes." He nodded weakly. "But-it wasn't that simple."  
"Then tell me how complicated it was."  
Victor turned to look at her. She looked as raw as she sounded; she sat against the wall that the bed had been pushed to, her knees drawn up. She looked at him with wounded, confused eyes.  
"You broke the rage." He scooted closer to her. "When I found you in Asia, and you cried out for...mercy. You actually tore through the bloodrage. You made me feel evil for the feral nature. So low, that I didn't want to live with it."  
"Oh, god." She instinctively crawled closer to him. "I-you mean I-"  
"Jubilee, you saved my life that night." He said, reaching out and trailing his finger across her cheek. "And every night since."  
Jubilee looked at him, her eyes welling up with tears. Crawling into his arms, she broke down crying.  
~*~*~  
Jubilee slid the envelope under the half empty water glass, looking down on Logan and Rogue as they slept. She curled daintily into his arms, her gloves hands clasped inside of his, her face pressed into his chest.  
Jubilee smiled, looking back to the doorway. Victor watched her with intensity.  
"Are you ready?" He asked softly.  
"Yeah." She looked back at Logan and Rogue. "Alright, I'm ready."  
Victor shouldered her bag, reaching out for her as she stepped out of the room with him. He laced his fingers with hers as they stepped out of the mansion and into the dark. Jubilee looked back up at the black window that belonged to Rogue and Logan.  
'I just don't know if they're ready.' She thought, climbing into the jeep. She cuddled close to him as they drove off, her heart filling with a sadness.  
~*~*~  
Rogue stared into the empty driveway, her eyes stinging. She gripped the letter in her hand, hearing the words in her head over and over again.  
'...I just can't let them get at each other. I love them too much to let them slice and dice at their vitals-besides, where would that leave you? With a tattered Wolvie? Can't let that happen...'  
"Rogue? What's wrong?" Logan sat in his bed, looking at her back.  
"She's gone." She sighed. "Both of them are." She heard Logan groan.  
"Did she say goodbye?"  
"Kind of." She turned back to him, dropping the letter onto his bed. "It's not telling me the whole story though. I feel it." She sat down next to him as he scanned the paper. "The professor told me it may be a psychic Link, and that I shouldn't have it."  
"Really." Logan glanced up at her, dividing his attention.   
"Might be another stage of my mutation. Probably just a fluke-he says he's seen it before, but never like this."  
Logan tried to listen to her, and caught the last of her words before drowning in the letter. She was gone, and it was because of his unrestrained fury.  
"Do they know about this?" He asked.  
"No. I just woke up and found it."  
"Good." Logan nodded, climbing out of bed. "No one will suspect it."  
"Suspect what?" Rogue looked up at him, fearing the worst.  
"Where we're going."  
"No, Logan." She stood up, her eyes soft. "We can't do that."  
"Why not?" He asked, throwing on a sweatshirt. "I'm not going to let Jubilee run away because of something I could've controlled."  
"It's not that simple. She's got to sort it out on her own. There are problems in her head that even *she* can't pick up on yet."  
"And this is that link at work?" He asked. "You're sure?"  
"I can feel it, Logan. That's the only way I can describe it. I'm inside her; memories, feelings. Everything. And right now, she's with Victor, and she's safe. She's happy."  
Logan collapsed on his bed, raking his hand through his hair.  
"I can't stand it, Rogue. She's out there with him, and I can't even try to imagine that she's happy, let alone safe."  
"She's happier out there with him then she was here last night." Rogue sat down, taking his hand, considering that she could share why she was so unhappy the night before. She dismissed the idea. "Give it time; if it comes to that she's hurt, or scared, I'll let you go. You'll have to fight to keep me here."  
Logan nodded reluctantly, letting his thoughts subside. 


	9. Kill My Pain

YOU PEOPLE ROCK SO HARD! Okay, so reviews make me a bit excitable-that's why I got pegged as a Jubilee-like person. But aside from that, everyone who review, I send out uber-lovin' vibes and happy smiles and many cupcakes. All of you Melt my candle wax!  
Now, please enjoy.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Jubilee sat in the corner of the room, her face streaked with grime and blood, cut by tears. She shook uncontrollably, her hands gripping her bare arms with more force then she would have wanted, but she had lost command of her hands. She couldn't even use her advantage over them.  
"Well, who wants to take the next swing?" A graveled voice asked from another room, laughing in a tired, lazy way.  
Jubilee felt the tears stinging her face with the sound of the voice. She had never been more scared in her life. She put her face down in her arms and prayed that the two of them were bored with her, or had found a shred of shame inside them. Her muscles moved without her; her hands tightening even more around her arms, her nails digging into her skin. Her chest was on fire from screaming in vain.  
"Come on, Mutie. This is fun, isn't it?"  
Jubilee couldn't force herself to look up. She knew the faces, the sound of their voices. She knew about the bats, and the chains. She was paralyzed; frozen in a hot panic.  
"Please, no..." She buried her face in her hands, listening to the links of metal clacking in the palm of the hand. "No. Please don't hurt me."  
She felt the chain bite into her head as she collapsed on her side. She screamed in final defiance for help.  
~*~*~  
Victor pushed himself to his feet, Jubilee's screaming driving him. His head pounded in the after-effects of the metal bat that had introduced itself to his skull as the three man group had become a two man group. He started off into the woods, racing forward as Jubilee's screams became more frantic and less consistent.  
He cursed himself, tearing through the woods toward her scent, her sound.  
'Never should've left her outside the bar.' he metally beat himself. 'Never even should've stopped for directions. We were fine for days; we should've kept driving. Pennsylvania ain't so bad. Would've been a nice drive through here.'  
Jubilee screamed again, making Victor drop even his thoughts and push himself to run faster.  
The third man had been left to 'dispose' of Victor; scared but determined to take care of the big man lumbering toward him, he'd swung in uncontrolled, wide arcs at his head. The only swing to even make contact was the last; unexpected strength had found itself as his insides poured out of the gaping hole in his front.  
Victor hadn't even felt the kill; Jubilee was petrified.  
He came to a clearing, with a shifty cabin in it's middle. The screaming had stopped, but her scent was stronger here; radiating off the little shack.  
Tearing into the cabin, he found the first man, lounging at a table with a bottle in his hand. He took off, through the backroom. Following, Victor found Jubilee, fighting to right herself as the second man stood over her with a chain in hand. She winced as the chain hit the floor, the hand that held it grabbing for the shirt of his accomplice.  
"Holy Christ!" The second man pulled the first back, pushing him behind him to get to the door.  
Jubilee found her wits and blasted the first man, knocking him against the wall. Victor was already out the backdoor and after the second.  
He was furious. Everything was coated in a thick, enraged red colour. He followed the man, feeling the last of the human in him fade out behind the rage.  
~*~*~  
Rogue shook, letting out whines of pain. She sat in the middle of the floor, pulled into a tight ball, tears streaming down her face.  
"What's wrong with her?" Kitty sat against the wall in Logan's room, her face half buried in Bobby's side. "What's happening?"  
"Psychic Link." Jean stood in the doorway, unsure of a course to take. "She touched them too close. Him, and then Jubilee directly after. She couldn't have known what it would do."  
"How do we stop it?" Logan was stuck in his place, as close as he could be to Rogue without her panicking. He watched her, angry with himself that he couldn't help her.  
"We don't. There's nothing we can do." Jean shook her head sadly. "It has to die away on it's own. More then likely once the trauma's over, she'll be fine."  
"Lots of help, Jean." Bobby held Kitty close as Rogue let out a moan. "That's like saying that once your mouth closes, the authority disappears."  
"Robert, I do not appreciate-" She stepped fully into the room as Rogue gave a piercing cry.  
"No, No no." She whimpered, dropping her face in her lap. "No. Don't-No. Don't hurt me." She looked up suddenly, her eyes blank and shaking. "No! NO!" She buried her face in her hands, sobbing.  
~*~*~  
Jubilee sat against the wall, crying bitterly. She held out her hands, plasma striking the man's still body. With every whimper she let out, Victor felt the rage break, until all he felt was the guilt of letting Jubilee be hurt.  
"Jubilee." He was careful to stay out of her path, kneeling next to her. "Jubilee, please."  
She dropped her hands, the blasts stopping. She looked up at him, her fear gently pulling back.  
"Vic?"  
She had never looked smaller to him, more vulnerable. Her clothes were ripped from the beating and she was covered in bruises and dirt, blood trails drying from cuts on her stomach, neck, face and legs. He knew the bruises were worse under her clothes.  
"Precious..." Victor watched her carefully raise her hand to touch his face; her palms were singed with minor burns. He couldn't even guess how long she'd been in the room at the hands of the three of them, so he had no way of knowing the intensity of the blasts that poured from her hands.  
"Thank you." She said in a small, weak voice. Tears broke over her cheeks as she crawling into his arms.  
Victor held her gently, feeling her tiny body shake.  
~*~*~  
Rogue looked up to Logan, her eyes soft and her face wet.  
"Oh, god.." She fell into his arms, clinging to him. "She's hurt. She's hurt so bad." She pressed her face against his chest. "We gotta help her."  
Logan rocked her, trying to soothe her.  
"We're goin' to, Darlin'. I promise." 


	10. Keep Me As Yours

So much angst, so little time. I am very proud of this story, in general.  
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Victor draped the blanket over Jubilee's trembling shoulders, climbing into the otherside of the Jeep.   
"Vic, where are we?" she asked in a small voice, regarding him with swollen eyes.  
"Pennsylvania." He kept a comfortable distance, aching to reach out and hold her; If she didn't know where she was, there was no way of telling what other trauma was affecting her. "Do you know what happened tonight?"  
She nodded, pursing her lips in a painful gesture of repression.  
The ache intensified.  
"What do we do now?" She asked.  
"What do you want to do now?" He cautiously took her hand, relieved when she didn't recoil.  
"I wanna stay with you." She whispered, weakly pushing into his arms. "Don't leave me, Vic. Please."  
"I would never leave you, Precious."  
~*~*~  
Logan paced the foyer, mapping out a plan. After three days of no contact after Rogue's fit, he'd been in a frenzy.  
He had to find her. He didn't know how, but he had-  
"Logan?" Kitty watched him.  
He eyed her, frustrated and tired.  
"What?"  
"You have a call. I think it's Sabretooth, and he sounds-" She stepped aside as he rushed past her. She sighed in the empty room. "And he sounds upset."  
"Creed, I swear, if you hurt her-"  
"Don't." His growl was that of the wounded, forced to defend himself. "She was beaten by three-No, two. I killed one before he could touch her. They found her outside of bar we stopped at for directions, popping plasma blasts for lack of anything better to do."  
"Who-"  
"They're all dead. She's safe now."  
"I want her Home."  
There was a shuffling sound in the background.  
"Wolvie?" Jubilee sounded worn. "That you?"  
"Jubilee, are-"  
"I'm okay, Logan. I just need to heal a bit. You know how that goes." She sighed audibly. "Vic wants me to come back to the mansion, for this healin'. I want to see you again. After all that's happened-"  
"I'd like that, Kid. Rogue would like that." He rubbed at his tapering headache, smiling to himself. "Hurry Home."  
"I will, Logan. I will." 


	11. Sweet Darkness

I love you all, so veeeery much. God, Look at me, all giggly over some good reviews... I love you people.  
Sadly, we're almost done. I know, it hurt me to finish this story, but I'm happy to have been able to finally finish something! And yes-there may be a sequel....I'm not sure yet, but it's looking promising.  
And if you like this, try one of my other stories; Lost(and original) and Irridescent Tears(Another X-men, with more Sabretooth(Can you tell I like the characer-and turning him OUT of character?)) are just crying for love.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Victor glanced down on Jubilee. She had been quiet since she'd woken up, nestled against him.  
"Are you okay?"  
"I don't know." She sighed. " I never thought I'd be...hurt over this..." She shook her head, blinking rapidly, as if to clear her eyes. "But it's over now. It's going to get better...Right Vic?" She looked up at him.  
"Of course. I promise it'll get better." He squeezed her gently.  
Jubilee shivered, pulling tighter against him.  
"I hope you're right."  
Victor shifted, reaching around her to take her hand in his.  
"Has anyone ever told you that you have the sweetest smell coming off of you?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.  
"What?" She smiled a small smile.  
"Your scent is Beautiful. It's sweet, like Honey, or Brown sugar." He smiled at her. "It's the first thing I remember about being close to you. How it stayed on my clothes."  
"I love you, Victor Creed." She said softly, kissing his knuckles.  
He cuddled her close, gently kissing her hair.  
~*~*~  
Logan sat at the stairs, puffing his cigar nervously.  
"Why aren't you in bed?" Rogue yawned, stepping down to sit next to him.  
"Why aren't you?" He asked, looking over at her.  
"Well, I would be, except my nice, fuzzy pillow is not in *his* bed."  
"I knew you were sleeping with Hank."  
"Logan!" She pushed him playfully. "Seriously, what are you doing?"  
"Jubilee just called. Says she and Sabretooth are gunna be here in a little while. I wanna be here when she gets back." He recovered from her push, sliding an arm around her. "You wanna wait with me?"  
"How long ago did she call?"  
"About 20 minutes ago."  
"You've been sitting here alone for 20 minutes!? Why didn't you wake me?"  
"I thought about it, darlin, but you just looked so peaceful...besides, you forget that you're lookin' at a man who's used to little more company then his cigar." He held up said company before putting it out in a nearby ashtray. "Nightmares wake you?"  
"No. For the first time since it happened, I had a good dream." She smiled. "Well, it wasn't so much mine as it was one of Victor's dreams. Well, I assume anyway, since I don't think it's physically happened-"  
"Rogue."  
"Sorry." She blushed lightly. "Jubilee was sitting in his car, just smiling at him. You know, those genuine, loving smiles she gives when she's happy? Anyway, he walks over and climbs into the car and puts his arms around her, and all of the sudden, their surroundings start to change. Slow at first, just noticeable, and then faster, like someone's hit fast forward. But they aren't changin'. They're still holdin' each other in the backseat of his jeep, and they aren't even touched by time." She smiled. "It's so amazing. He loves her so much."  
"I guess I have to try and be well-behaved, huh?" He asked. "If this is real."  
"Try, Logan. It's more real then you think." Rogue patted his chest. "Did they give a time when they'd be here?"  
"Tomorrow morning, actually." He smiled. "I was just looking for a reason to be sittin' down here. My walls were starting to close in on me."  
"You wanna stay down here, then? Cause in that case, I'll be in your room."  
"Nah." Logan stood up, holding out a hand for hers. "It's not so dark if you're there."  
Rogue took his hand, climbing the stairs with him. 


	12. Safe Return

So much love-Curiousity killed the kat, but for now we'll just let it dwell with the sabretooth. Please enjoy-Not many more after this.  
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Jubilee limped up the steps, wrapping her arms around Logan's neck. He practically lifted her off her feet, relieved that she was still breathing.  
"It's not good to get me worryin' about ya, Kid." He whispered, looking at her. A large bandage crossed the apple of her cheek on the right side of her face, flanked by small bruises.  
"It's okay, Wolvie. It's not as bad as it seems." She smiled. "It'll all heal, come time." She patted his cheek. "Sometimes I think that you forget; I'm not made of glass."  
Jubilee hobbled past Logan, letting Rogue wrap her in a soft, protected hug. The two stood in the doorway, watching uneasily as Victor and Logan eyed each other.  
"Morning Logan." Victor Nodded, looking at him in a noncombatant way and holding out his hand.  
Logan glanced back at Jubilee before accepting the hand shake with an air of Respect about him.  
Jubilee grinned. She squeezed Rogue's hand, pulling her inside.  
"Wait a minute, Sabes." Logan caught the bigger man's arm as he moved to follow them. "I'm goin' to behave myself and try to get along with you for Jubilee-Keepin' my word to her is more important then any rumble with you-"  
"We're thinkin' along the same lines for once."  
Logan winced in annoyance. "But I'd like ya to know that; if you ever hurt her, I'll rip you up so bad that healin' factor won't be able to find a piece to start with." He smirked coolly with the warning.  
"As goes, Runt. As goes." 


	13. My Fairy Tale

I haven't gotten so much praise on a story in soooo long. I'm so sorry that this took so long-I had it done, but life just got in the way.  
AGH! Dinner is burning!  
Enjoy!  
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Jubilee smiled, finally at ease, stretching contently in the hot water. The last unused claw foot bathtub was in her room-the room that had remained untouched since she'd left. She sunk to her chin, savoring the warmth on her bruises as her eyes slid closed.  
"Jubilee?" Victor peeked around the door. "What are you doing, right at the moment?"  
"I'm relaxing and not moving." She said in a tired tone. "Want to join me?"  
"Tub's too small."  
"Vic." She playfully scolded him, opening her eyes. "In or Out-You're letting in the cold air."  
He stepped inside the bathroom, pulling a stool from the corner of the room and sitting down next to the tub.  
"I hate that soap." He pushed her bangs aside with his finger.  
"Why? It's lilac." She frowned a bit, raising her hand and blowing the suds over the water.  
"Exactly. It covers you up. I can hardly smell you under it."  
"Is my smell that important?"  
"Radiance mingles completely with the carnal scent, Precious." He traced the curve of her cheek with his finger. "I don't think you understand how amazing I believe you are."  
"You're certainly not going to let me forget, are you?" She inquired, reaching up to take his hand.  
"Not for as long as I Live." He nodded, holding her hand gently. He stroked her knuckles.  
Jubilee smiled genuinely, her heart melting. "Thank you, Victor."  
He kissed her hand, standing up and leaving the room quietly.  
Jubilee sunk back into the water, considering herself lucky. She'd seen this man destroy lives-disaster practically fell in the wake of his step, and here he was; taking care of her. Someone to love her the way love had avoided her all along. She was slipping into bliss as the door opened again.  
"Forget something?" She asked, her eyes still closed.  
"Not exactly."  
She looked up. Jean Grey stood in the doorway, her hands nervously in her sweatshirt pockets.  
~*~*~  
Victor sat down at the table, pressing his face into his hands.  
"You alright?" Logan didn't exactly look or sound concerned, but strolled into the kitchen despite it, opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water.  
"Aside from lack of sleep." He didn't even care anymore who Wolverine had been, or what they had been so caught in fighting about. "Jubilee hasn't slept through a single night since...and I hate to think I'll go to sleep and she'll have to be alone how she is if she does wake up."  
"Rogue has that problem." Logan sat down across from him. "If she sleeps with her head over my heartbeat, it calms her down. Let's her get a full night's sleep. Jubilee used to do that when chuck first took her in; have nightmares about being caught, about her parents. She used to stay with Hank like that-He's the one who gave me the tip in the first place."  
A subtle flare of jealously at the reference rolled through his chest as he nodded-If nothing else had helped, then this couldn't hurt her.  
"Ya know, I do appreciate all you've done for her." Logan said after a moment of awkward silence. "Takin' care of her and all that. It's not what any of us expected."  
"I know." Victor hadn't been surprised that no one wanted her to leave with him; he wasn't exactly a friend to the X-Men, especially Wolverine, but man or beast, things change. "I wouldn't hurt her. I would rather have not ever existed then know that I'd hurt her."  
Logan chuckled, taking a swig from his bottle.  
"Women are something, aren't they?" He asked, looking over his shoulder as Rogue peeked into the room. He'd smelt her there all along, but she was a sucker for a good change of heart. "Maybe if they ruled the world, we wouldn't have so many problems."  
"Amen."   
~*~*~  
"Hello Ms. Grey." Jubilee's eyes took a stone cast, her voice on the far edge of civil.  
"Jubilee, I just wanted to say that I was sorry." She closed the door, leaning against it. "I jumped to the conclusion that Sabretooth-"  
"Victor." Jubilee softened the extremity in her tone; she making an attempt. "His name is Victor."  
"I expected him to hurt you; to have some corrupt motive behind this sudden change." Jean shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was only thinking of your safety...I would have never thought that Victor Creed would be so protective." She watched her, sinking to the floor,exasperated in the wash of her unreadable silence. "Please Jubilee. Say something."  
She looked up at the woman, her eyes softer. "All I ever wanted from any of you was to trust my judgment. Did you really think I would have run off with someone who'd proven himself an enemy without knowing in my heart that he had changed?"  
"I know you think you know things, Jubilee, But everyone's been deceived. And Sabreto-" She stopped, biting her lip. "Mr. Creed has proven himself quite the master of disguise in the past."  
"If he had wanted to strike, he would have by now. He had months of time alone with me before we left, and time on the road in the dark after." Jubilee seemed to really be considering the fact, as if she hadn't thought about it before. Her voice became thicker. "Or he would have let them kill me."  
She sat up suddenly, draining the tub and grabbing her towel as Jean looked away. She briefly dried off, wrapping the large soft pastel yellow towel around her, before climbing out and kneeling in front of her on the floor.  
"Jubilee, I'm sorry I doubted what you wanted." Jean said carefully. attempting to catch her eyes. Jubilee stared at her hands clasped in her lap, visually unreadable. "And I'm sorry that...what happened, happened." She cautiously reached out to tip Jubilee's face up to meet hers. "And I wish it wouldn't have, but what really matters is that when we couldn't get to you, you had someone to take care of you." Jean let her mind open in it's most minimal force-Jubilee was projecting so many mixed emotions. "It's good to have you home, for however long you choose to stay here."  
Jubilee inched forward, hugging her tightly. Jean held her close, the younger girl shaking at alarming levels.  
"It's okay, Jubilee. It's okay." She felt her sob, and gently looked into her mind. It was all hitting her at once; how strong her feelings were to be with him, to protect him and know that they would be safe together, the bruises that covered her in a dull ache, and her need to know she was loved.  
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Jubilee pulled away, wiping her face in rapid, ashamed gestures. "I really am."  
"It's fine." Jean took her hand, smiling. "It is."  
The door inched open behind Jean's back.  
"Precious?"  
"I'm okay, Vic." Jubilee called, sniffing gently. "Everything's fine. I'll meet you in a few minutes in the basement, okay?"  
"So long as you're sure, Jubilee.  
"I am."  
Jean looked over her shoulder at the open door, smiling. There was such Protective urgency in his voice-the defensive projections didn't even have to be floating around Jubilee to know the gentle possession that reached out from either of them.  
"I didn't come in here to make you upset." Jean sighed, patting her cheek. "I'm going to be in my room for the rest of the night, avoiding a migraine. If you want to talk to me, you know where to find me."  
Jubilee nodded, watching the older woman rise, quietly slipping out of the bathroom door. She shifted, pulling her knees to her chest, the giant towel dropping around her legs. Wiping the last of the relieved tears from her face, she felt some of the pressure in her chest rise away.  
~*~*~  
Jean excused herself, stepping aside as Victor gently knocked on the door's molding.  
"Jubilee?"  
"Yeah, Vic?" Her voice was light and tired.  
"Are you sure you're okay?"  
The door was pushed open, Jubilee's hand against the wood. He hated to see her sitting on the floor like that; with her knees drawn up like she had to close herself off to everything around her. She looked too small, too fragile to be so strong as she was. The pang to reach out and hold her was pulsing through him again.  
"You were right-everything's going to be fine." She gave him a small, sweet smile.  
He crouched, scooping her up in his arms.  
"Of course, Precious. I promised you that it would be alright, didn't I?"  
"Yeah." She smiled, sliding her arms around his neck and her hands through his hair. "You did."  
Victor kissed her gently, stepping into her room and shutting the door behind them. 


	14. Epilogue Forever Mine

Epilogue  
Victor peeked into the room. It had been hours since Jubilee had said anything, since she'd pulled the black curtain to the living room of the apartment the two shared and told him she needed some time to think. She sat against the couch, looking into the falling snow.  
"Precious?" He stepped into the room, a coat drapped over his arm.  
"Oh. Hey Vic." She smiled weakly. "What's goin' on?"  
"That's what I'm wondering." He sat down behind her. "Are you okay?"  
"Oh, yeah." She leaned back against him, propping her elbows on his knees. "Peachier then Keen, Big Man."  
"That was convincing."  
"Shut up." She crawled onto the couch, snuggling into his arms. "I'm just in a funk, that's all. It's gunna even out soon-I can feel it."  
"Well come on, let's help it, huh?" He smiled, kissing her temple and leaving her on the couch as he stood up. He took the coat from the back of the chair, holding it out to her.  
"Vic, this is your favourite coat." She accepted the jacket, holding it close to her. It was her favorite, too- the tawny long coat that came nearly to the floor on her was warm and cozy, covered in his smell.  
"And now it's yours." He smiled, cradling her head. "Now come on."  
"'Come on' where?"  
"Just trust me." He reached out, taking her hand as she climbed over the back of the couch to follow him.  
(Later)  
"Vic, this is really annoying." Jubilee ran her fingers over the soft black cloth for what had to be the millionth time, her voice a little tired.  
"I know, Precious. Just last it out a little longer, okay?"  
She grumbled halfheartedly, settling back into the seat. The cold leaked in around her-his coat, despite the way it engulfed her in such a familar warmth. She let her eyes ease closed under the cloth, her hand blindly touching for his arm and settling on his wrist.  
"Vic?"  
"Relax. We're almost there. I promise."  
"No. I...Thank you." She smiled lightly, her flush face deepening in colour.  
"What for?" Victor glanced over at her-she looked amazing in the coat, and the colour in her face only made her look more innocent.  
"For staying..." She wriggled a little closer to him. "When I know I wasn't much more then an emotional nuisance."  
"No." He pulled into his destination, parking the car and taking her hands. "You were never anything close to a 'nuisance'."  
"Don't pretend. I know it wasn't easy to deal with me when I was....broken." She couldn't search out the right words to describe the entire month and half that had passed them-Vic watching over a emotionally unstable...child it almost seemed. She'd spent a week of her life wide awake, drowning in her own tears.  
"Jubilee, more than anything, it hurt to watch you go through it and know that there was nothing I could do to stop it." He took her face in his hands, her fingers sightlessly moving to his own fingers. "I would have taken all of it if it meant you didn't have to feel it."  
He felt his heart tighten as she pressed into his arms. Her heart beat had shifted irregularly and her smell had changed to something just a little more tart.  
"I'm sorry that any of it had to happen at all, but I was never burdened by you-not once." He whispered, feeling her tears as they seeped into the blindfold under his hand. "I love you."  
"Do you really mean it?" She whimpered, her voice uneven between shame and insecurity. "Is it still the same feeling you said it was so long ago?"  
"The same feeling and so much more. Don't ever doubt that what I tell you is an understatement of that feeling. I couldn't even come close to telling you."  
"I love you, Vic. Please, don't leave me." She was filled with more relief than pain then, more assurance than anything.  
"I couldn't. You're mine, Precious. I couldn't ever let that change. I'd die a thousand bloody deaths, a hundred times over, before I'd let you go."  
Jubilee sat up, pulling the cloth off her face to look at him. Her eyes were more alive to him than they'd been in months; more fervent, full of the same passion and innocence that he'd seen that night when she'd thrown away his gun. She was stronger, more amazing than he would have known without that night.  
She couldn't have guessed that there was ever a moment of rage in his life-his eyes were soft, drinking her into the deep amber irises with a burning intensity. The way he looked at her made her feel like there was nothing more important in the world than right there and then, in that very moment.  
"I love you, Jubilee." He kissed her forehead, brushing her shaggy black hair out of her swollen eyes. "More than you can imagine."  
She smiled weakly, finally lighter. The pressure on her chest was completely gone-he had let her breathe again. She rocked gently in his arms, sighing in small, joyful sounds.  
"Look around." Victor whispered, murmering against her temple.  
Jubilee looked up, the happiness surging. That same amazing beach, covered in a light frosting of snow. She looked out over the frothing ocean, pulling herself closer to him.  
"You're amazing." She giggled, burying her face in his new coat; a downy black monster, smelling freshly of synthetics and department store. Soon it would be his, and it would smell marvelous.  
"You are my treasure. You mean the world to me." He murmured, holding her tightly.  
She felt more tears sliding down her cheeks, the falling snow blurring into fine white lines around them. She closed her eyes, letting him surround her in his smell and warmth and protection.  
  
  
  
Well? Let me know what you thought-I love to get your reactions. And go to my other stories! They need you.  
There MAY be a sequel-I'm working it out with my muse. 


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